Massaging-machine



. J. KERCHER.

MASSAGING MACHINE.

APPLlcATloN mw 001.19. 1911. nznewfn'osc. 1s, 1920.

Patented .my 112, 11921.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l- I. KERCHER. NIASSAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I9. 1917- RENEWED DEC. 16.1920.

Patented July I2, H2L

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 1. KERCHER.` NIASSAGING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. I9| I9I7- RENEWED DEC. 16,1920- P'tllted July 12, 1921.

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

billy-3' J. KERCHER.

MAssAGING' MAcHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.19,1917 RENEWED DEC. 16,1920.

L', Patented July l2, 19m,

' 8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

r3 mi z D UW l. KERCHER.

v MASSAGING MACHINE. APPLlcATloN FILED ocT.19, 1911. RsNEwED Dec. 1e, 1920.

Patented July 12, 11.921;

J. KERCHER.

MASSAGING MACHINE. .APPLICATION HLED ocT. 19. 1917; nzNEwEo DEC. 16.1920.

l Patented July l2, WZL

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6- J. KERCHER.

MASSAG'ING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED ocT. I9. 19H. RENEWED Dec. 16.1920.

Patented .my I2, w21..

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7- J. KEHCHER. MASSAGING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED ocr. I9, I9 I7. IIENEWED Dsc. 16. |920.

* Lggyg Patented July l2, 192i.;

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8- .iwi-e totti a Sri-Maytag JOHN Kanonen, or

Massaorne Lllg.

Application led October 19, 1917, Serial No. 197,433.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JoHN KERCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ot' Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in h/lassaging-Machinos, of which the following is a specitication.

rlhe present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon and simplification of the machine described in my application No. 116,026, led August 21, 1916. ln the machine ot said former application the massaging elements are in the nature of balls rotatorily carried by aprons which are so mounted as to be given a great variety of movements in the plane otl the respective anons and to be adjusted toward and 'from each other to accommodate bodies o1 different thickness. The present invention relates more particularly to the means 'for giving` the aprons the above described motion, and. consists mainly in simplification of the mechanism for accomplishing this result, though there are other vfeatures of impr0vement which will appear from a reading of the following speciiication, and which are pointed out in the claims of this application. lfhile l have shown and described a preferred form oit my invention, it is to be understood that the specific disclosure is for the purpose oit exempliication only, and that the scope of the invention is defined in the following claims in which l have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art so far as known to me without, however, relinquishing or abandoning any portion or teature thereof.

ln the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section ot the preferred embodiment ot' my invention; Fig. 2 a plan Jthereof; Fig. 3 a vertical section on the line 3 3 ot Fig. 2; parts being shown in elevation looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 1 a vertical section on the line 1--4 ot' Fig. 2 looking in the opposite direction as indicated in the arrows applied to said line; Fig. 5 a horizontal section on the line 5-5 et Fig. 4; Fig. 6 a transverse vertical section on the plane of the line 6-6 ot' Fig. 5; Fig. 'T a transverse vertical. section on an enlarged scale on the plane of the line 7m? Specication of Letters Patent.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

-MACI-INE.

Renewed December 16, 1920. Serial No. 431,276.

of Fig. G; Fig. S a side elevation of a detail; Fig. 9 a horizontal section on the line 9 9 .oii Fig. 8 looking in the direction ot the arrows; Fig. 1() a section oit a detail on the same plane as Fig. 6 but on an enlarged scale; Fig. 11 a vertical section on the plane oi' the line 11-11 of Fig. 10 looking in the direction ot the arrows; Fig. 12 a similar section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 a section on the line 13-13 ot Fig. 12 looking toward the lett; and rig. 111 is a view on the same plane lookin# toward the right.

Fach part is identified by the same reference characters wherever it appears in the several views.

The main trame vot the machine comprises a platform A preferably of substantial metal construction shown as comprising outside sbeams, and a pair of upright frames B, B', the former ot which is stationarily mounted upon the platform, andthe latter adjustable toward and from said stationary upright frame B. At a proper height upon the respective upright `frames are mounted the carriers C, C in such manner that they may be given rotary vertical, horizontal and combined vertical and horizontal movements in planes transverse to the machine, and automatic mechanism is provided for giving them such movement. Intermediate the up` rights is a vertically adjustable stand D upon which the patient stands while being treated.

The stationary frame B is bolted or otherwise secured to the platform and comprises four upright posts 15, 16 ot angley iron, (see Fig. 5), theinner posts 15 extending substantially above the outer posts 16, and connected by suitable horizontal iron bars 17,

1S and 19. The outer posts 16 are connected at their tops by similar rails or bars 20, and intermediately and at their lower ends by bars 21, 22, respectively. The uprights 15, 16 at each end ot the i'rame are also corr n cted together as by the bars 23, 24, 25. There is thus formed a rectangular skeleton 'frame in which is carried one of the massaging devices as well as the mechanism `for operating it.

T he trame B trame B except is essentially similar to the that provision is made tor Patented July 12, 1921.

' thereto.

28, and are provided with rollers 33, 33

which roll upon said rails 29, 30. Thus, the movable frame is movable toward and from the stationary frame'to adjust for bodies of different thickness.

Except in the matter of the connection of the operating means the massaging elements, their carriers and mechanism for operating the same are identical upon the movable and stationary frames. Referring more particularly to Figs. l to 4 and 7 to 9, it will be seen that each of the vertical frames is provided with a pair of vert-ical guides 34, 34, and as seen more particularly in Figs. 7 and 9 the carriers for the massaging aprons each consists in a cast metal frame having perforated ears 36, 37 at its respective ends to which the apron 38 is attached. Apron 38 may be of leather, canvas, or other sheet metal and is carried respectively by the pair of earsy at one end of the carrier and by a U-shaped lever42 which is pivoted at 43 to the ears at the other end of said carrier. A spring 44 connects the lever on the opposite side-of its fulcrum from the apron with a pin. 45 fixed on' the carrier so that the spring 1through the intermediary of the lever exerts a constant tension on the apron. The carrier is movable vertically on the guides 84 which are embraced between seats 46 on said carrier and crown pieces 47 bolted rlhus provision is made for vertical movement of the massaging device.

To provide for lateral movement the guides 34 are connected at their opposite ends with horizontal frame members 48, 49 which are formed in their respective upper andlower edges with concave tracks 50,51, corresponding to similar horizontal tracks 52, 53, upon the frame. Antifriction balls are mounted between the tracks described to provide easy movement for the frame comprising the guides and horizontal track members and for the massaging element. Thus I provide for vertical and horizontal movement and by properly combining` the two movements any 'desired movement, circular or otherwise, in the plane of the apron,

may be had.

For effecting the movement of the carrier a link 54 is pivoted thereto at 55 and at and near its lower end is connected to link 56 and lever 57, respectively, (see Fig. 6). The latter is fulcrnmed to the traine at 58 and connected by a link 59 to an arm 60 on the shaft 6l by which said lever is oscillated (see Figs. 6 and ll). The link 56 is similarly connected to an arm 62 on shaft 63 'by which said link is oscillated. The oscillation of vlever. 57 through link 59 gives the link 54 and consequently the massaging element its vertical movement while the loscillation of the link 56 gives the link 54 an oscillating movement about the fulcrum 64 by which the latter is connected to lever 57, thus giving the horizontal movement to the massaging element. The link,- however, is normally maintained in its central position by springs 65, 65.

The shafts 6i, 63 are driven from a common source but have arranged to vthrow either shaft into or out of connection with the common sourcein order to secure the movements described above. For this purpose each of the shafts, Vwhich are journaled in plates 66, 67, is provided with a pinion 68, 69, said pinions intermeshing and pin-V ion 69 also meshing with pinion 70, upon shaft Pinion-70 upon the stationaryY frame is fast on said shaft 7l but pinion 70 upon the movable frame is keyed upon said shaft to partake of the revolution thereof but to be permitted to be adjusted lengthwise thereof. Shaft 7l is driven from an electric or other suitable motor 72 by means of a beltV 73, transverse shaft 74, worm 75 on the last said shaft and worm wheel 76 on shaft 7l. rl`hus pinions 68 and 69 are constantly driven by the motor when the V.evice is in operation.

They are, however, loose upon their resaective shafts but adapted to be connected for revolution therewith by means of clutches to be now described. is seen in Figs. l1 and 14 said pinions are formed with positive clutch members 77 and upon their respective shafts are keyed clutch Vmembers 78, 79 having corresponding clutch faces 89, 8l adapted, when the clutch members are thrown to the right, as seen inFig. i2, to engage the clutch members of the resjiective pinions. Thus by throwing the pinion 68 into engagement with its shaft the latter isV rotated to give a horizontal movement to the carrier through arm 62 and link 56 but when the pinion 69 is clutched tov its shaft it gives'a vertical movement through the members heretofore described,

and when both are operated they give a rotary" motion' to Vthe carrier. Normally the clutches are maintained in engagement by springs 82, 83, respectively, the former of which bears upon a clutch shifting fork 84 attached to a sleeve 85 which slides upon a guide 86 and the latter of which engages a clutch shifting fork 87 carried by sleeve 88 slidingly mounted upon guide rod 89. The face 90 of sleeve 85 is skewed off, as shown in Fig. 1l, and is engaged by a wedge clutch shifter 9i which, at its lower end, is

pivoted at 92 to an arm 93 upon the square shaft 94. On the adjustable frame the arm is free to slide upon the Ishaft but the arm on the stationary frame may be pinned to the shaft. The shaft is rotated by means of a handle 95 through link 96 connected to an arm 97 adjustable along its shaft. The handle 95 is within reach of the person undergoing the operation of the machine and is fulcrunied at 98 on the adjustable frame and may be locked in either position by spring catches 99, 100. A wedge clutch shifter 101v engages a similar skew face 102 of sleeve 88 to shift said sleeve and the clutch fork 87 carried thereby against the pressure of spring 83.` By reference to Fig. 10 it will be seen that the inclined end of each of said clutch'shifters is bifurcated-to straddle its respective guide shaft 86, 89. Said clutch shifter is operated by an arm 103 loosely mounted upon squared sha-ft 104 along which it is adjustable and said shaft is oscillated to shift the clutch shifter by means of a second hand lever 105 through the link 106 and arm 107 loosely mounted on said shaft. Lever 105 is pinned to shaft 108. Lever 95 is fast to sleeve 109 which is loosely mounted on shaft 108 and journaled at 110 in a notch in a bracket 111 secured to the movable frame. Sleeve 109 extends bevond the journal where it is reduced to form a neck and at 112 is provided with an additional handle for operation by the patient. Shaft 108 extends inwardly beyond the sleeve and at 113 is also provided with an additional handle, there thus being a pair of handles readily accessible to the patient and a second pair of handles within reach of the operator. It will thus be seen that by properly shifting the handles and the clutch shifters controlled thereby either a vertical. or a horizontal or a rotary motion may be given the massaging element. The similar clutch shifters associated with the movable and the stationary frame, respectively, are thus controlled by the operation of a single handle. 1f desired, in addition to the above control the clutch forks may be operated by means of a double shifting lever 114 pivoted at 115in position to engage either shifting fork accordingly as said lever is oscillated in one direction or the other,A means being provided for such oscillation in a handle 116 connected to said lever by a link 117. By shifting the handle 11G in one direction or the other a corresponding clutch can be thrown out of operation against the pressure of its spring. 1n order to adjust the movable frame toward and from the stationary frame 1 journal longitudinally of the platform an endless screw 118 with which a screw sleeve or nut 119 journaled in the movable frame is engaged. On said sleeve is a sprocket wheel 120 by which the sleeve is turned. and sinceA longitudinal motion of the sleeve relative to the frame is prevented the rotation yof the sprocket and sleeve serves to gradually feed the movable frame toward or from the stationary frame and the pitch of the screw is such 'as to prevent reverse movement of the frame under pressure due to the massaging operation. Sprocket 120 is connected by chain 121 with a sprocket 122 upon the shaft of a hand wheel 123 which is suitably positioned for operation by the person undergoing treatment. Thus, by turning the hand-wheel, the latter may adjust the distance between the massaging devices at will.

The person support D is carried by an arm 124, sleeve at 125 upon an upright post 126 in such manner that the support is adjustable vertically on the post. 1n order to effect adjustment of the support the sleeve 125 is formed with an offset 127 which is bored and threaded to receive the vertical screw shaft 128 and the latter is j ournaled in suitable bearings as at 129 and provided with a bevel gear 130 at its upper end. A similar gear 131 upon a horizontal shaft 132 meshes therewith and said shaft is rotated from a parallel shaft 133 by means of sprockets 134, 135 connected by a sprocket chain 136. At its opposite ends and in convenient location for the patient and'operator respectively, shaft 133 is provided with hand wheels 137, 138. Obviously by rotating the hand wheel the vertical screw is rotated and the person support or stand raised or lowered,` as desired. An anti-friction roller 139 is mounted upon the arm 124 carrying the stand and bears against the post 126 to further support the stand. The platform is cut away or slotted at 140 and recessed at 141 to receive said arm and stand when in lowermost position.

lt is sometimes desirable to inclose the machine and provide heating means so that the effect of an electric 'or other heating cabinet is combined with that of a massaging machine. Obviously the frames may be completely inclosed by paneling` them and providing a wall 142 of sheet metal or the like inclosing the upper portion of each frame upon the outside. Electric lamps 143 may be employed as the heating medium and mounted upon horizontal bars 144 arranged at suitable intervals upon the frames. lAt the top and at each end the cabinet may be closed by means of curtains 145, 146 of suitable materia-l wound at one end upon Hartshorn rollers 147, 148, and removably secured to the other frame by hooks 149. .The curtain or apron 145 will of course be formed with an opening 150 to allow the patients head to protrude.

1t will now be evident that when the cabinet is to be used the motor may be set in operation. and the patient caused to take his stand upon a support provided for that purpose which is adjusted to bring the massaging instrumentalities to bear upon the portion of his body which it is desired to treat. If the heating effect is also desired the cabinet is closed by drawing the curtains just described and the electric lights are switched on. The adjustments may be made by the patient or by the operator outside the cabinet by means of the handles provided for that purpose. Normally, the clutches being in closed position, the aprons 38 will be given a rotary motion in their plane and when the movable frame is adjusted the massaging devices will bear with the desired pressure upon the body and be operated in the manner described. By means of the handles the patient may not only adjust the distance between the'massagingdevices but may also change the character of the motion from rotary to vertical or horizontal or back to rotary if desired.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, a platform, a pair of upright frames supported by the platform, one of said frames being movable toward and from the other, guides upon'which said movable frames may be adjusted, a stationary screw on the platform, a nut revoluble on said screw and movable longitudinally thereof, said nut being held from longitudinal movement relative to the movable frame, a sprocket on said nut, a shaft journaled in said frame, a sprocket thereon, a chain connecting said sprockets and a hand-wheel on theshaft for rotating the same to adjust said movable frame.

2. In a device of the class described, a platform, a pair of frames, massaging instrumentalities mounted on the respective frames, a vertical post, a person support adapted to slideup and down said post, a worm kmounted on said post and engaging said support, a horizontal shaft, a handwheel on said shaft, and connections between said hand-wheel and worm for operating the i latter to adjust the person support.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame, a carriage mounted for vertical and horizontal movement relative thereto, massaging contact elements mounted on the carriage, and means for giving the carriage vertical and horizontal movement compris,- ing a rod pivoted to said carriage, a lever pivoted to said rod, means for oscillating said lever in a vertical plane, a link pivoted to said rod, and means for giving said link a substantially horizontal movement.

1l. In a device of the class described, a frame, a massaging instrumentality mounted for vertical and horizontalmovement on the frame, arod for giving vertical and horizontal movement to said instrumentality pivoted thereto, a lever pivoted t0 the rod7 frame, a massaging instrumentality mounted on the frame, means for giving said instrumentality a vertical and horizontal movement comprising a rod pivoted to said instrumentality, a lever pivoted to the rod and having an oscillation in a vertical plane, a' :pair of horizontal shafts, gear wheels loosely mounted on thel respective shafts, means lfor driving the gear wheels, clutch members on the respective shafts adapted to engage the gear wheelsthereon, a connection from one of said shafts to said lever, a pitman connecting the other of said shafts to said rod, and means for shifting the said clutch member to engage the gear wheels with their respective shafts. Y

6. In a device of the class described, a frame, a massaging instrumentality mounted onthe frame for vertical and horizontal movement, means for giving said instru-` mentality a vertical, a horizontal and a combined movement comprising a rod pivoted to said instrumentality, a lever pivoted to the framerand to said rod, a pair of revoluble shafts eachprovided with a crankyarm, a link connecting one of said shafts with said lever, a link connecting theV other said shaft with vsaid rod, pinions'on thev respective shafts'meshing-with eachother, means for driving said pinions,Y a VclutchY on each shaft for connecting its respective pinion thereto,

means for shiftingv each saidclutch and .a hand lever connected toeach said shifting means whereby `either shaft may be connected' to its respective pinion, or both said shafts be connected to their pinions whereby either a'vertical, a horizontal orv combined movement'may be imparted to the massaging instrumentality.

7. In a device of the class described, a frame, a carrier movable uponthe fra-me, a lever pivotcdto the carrier at one end thereof, an apron connected to said lever and to a rigid part of'said carrier at its 'respective Opposite ends, and a spring connectedto said lever and to said carrier and acting on said lever to maintain'the apron taut, and person-engaging massaging devices mounted on the apron. v

Sqln a device of the class described, a pair of oppositely disposed frames carrying massaging instrumentalities, means for operatng said nstrumentalites, flexible closures for ineiosingr;- the space between said frames, and means for heating said space.

9. in a device of the dass described, a

pair of spaced frames, each carrying a mas- 5 saging instrumentality, means for operating said instrumentalities, curtains for inelosing the space between said frames, rolls attached t0 one frame on which said curtains are mounted, and means for securing the ends of said curtains on the other frame.

JOHN KERCHER. 

